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Although the AV¶ÌÊÓƵ Medical Centre (CMU) is a magnificent facility dedicated to biomedical education and research, its almost industrial appearance, with ceilings criss-crossed by metal pipes, can lack warmth. "Symbolically, the CMU represents a highly technological dimension of medicine," says Antoine Geissbuhler, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. By embellishing some of its white walls, we wanted to create a dialogue between contemporary hypertechnology and the humanistic values that lie at the heart of our profession."

Tami Hopf, painter, illustrator and tattoo artist, has a particular affinity for meaningful art. "Through my paintings, I like to get involved in projects that align with my personal ethics and philosophical interests," she explains. "For me, art is a language that allows for sharing and dialogue. This is essential in a world where even communication has become depersonalised." And it was  a series of murals painted by Tami Hopf at Rennaz Hospital that touched the Dean's team. "The hospital is a very unique place, where people often go through very difficult times. My desire was to bring them a little poetry and respite."

Nature and humanity in dialogue

In her work, the artist wanted to highlight the relationships between people, but also their interdependence with nature, too often mistreated. "Far from a literal approach to medicine, I focused on philosophical concepts," she explains. "Medical practice is changing, the emotional and human bond is expanding. Therefore, I wanted to bring a reflection on the humanism behind the medical act and the risk of losing it. That is why in my paintings I emphasised the mere essence of any relationship: contact, looks, touch, the time we take to listen to each other. I also wanted to go back to the very beginnings of medicine, when nature provided the first remedies."

This link with nature also corresponds to one of the main dimensions of the Dean's Office Action Plan, namely environmental responsibility. First in education, with the creation of the Longitudinal Programme in Planetary Health, then through a new project on the environmental responsibility of research. The CMU is one of the buildings with the highest environmental impact among the public buildings of the State of Geneva and therefore needs to be taken into acount.

The allegory of thought

This mural is at once gentle, light and evocative, and also aims to provoke thinking. "We are living in a time of searching for meaning, in the society as well as in medicine and science," says Antoine Geissbuhler. "We are facing new challenges, especially in terms of our responsibility towards society. This project is thus linked to one of the essential axes of the strategy of the Faculty of Medicine: how to restore meaning in view of the disillusionment felt by a part of physicians and scientists. One of the answers may lie in reestablishing connections, whether between doctors and patients, or in the transmission of knowledge. It is a way of working, creating and being together.

The mural is also part of the AV¶ÌÊÓƵ's approach to redeveloping its spaces, making them more user-friendly and attentive to users. The Atrium area, inaugurated last year, is a good example of a place that encourages interaction, collaboration and shared moments. The mural, meanwhile, is a first step towards bringing art into the CMU.

Behind the scene:  discover the making off

All details on the seven paintings: